Vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and a carriage mounted on the base for supporting a human operator, the carriage mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriage and a force mechanism operable to apply a force to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriage.

1 . A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and two carriages mounted side by side relative to the base for supporting respective feet of a human operator, the carriages mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, each carriage having an associated thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriage, and having an associated drive mechanism operable to apply a drive to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriage. 
   
   
       2 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , each thrust mechanism including at least one element movable between a deployed position enabling application of force from the respective carriage to the medium on said rearward movement of the carriage, and a neutral position disabling application of force from the respective carriage to the medium. 
   
   
       3 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , each thrust mechanism located below the base, each drive mechanism located above the base, and a linkage between respective one of the thrust mechanisms and a respective one of the drive mechanisms extending through a passage in the base. 
   
   
       4 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , for moving through water, the at least one element presenting, in the deployed position a high drag form to the water and presenting, in the neutral position a low drag form to the water. 
   
   
       5 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 2 , the at least one element mounted to a respective one of the carriages by one of the group consisting of a pivotal and a reciprocal mounting. 
   
   
       6 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a control mechanism for relating timing of application of the drive to the movement of the respective carriage. 
   
   
       7 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a control mechanism for relating duration of application of the drive to the movement of the respective carriage. 
   
   
       8 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a control mechanism for determining magnitude of the drive. 
   
   
       9 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , for moving through water, further including a control mechanism operable to adapt movement of the element to the relative speed of the base relative to the medium. 
   
   
       10 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , each of the carriages being a wheeled carriage. 
   
   
       11 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , each of the carriages having a sliding bearing against the base. 
   
   
       12 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , for moving through water, the base forming part of a hull.